top of page

ENTERTAINMENT

African Winners at the 2026 Grammy Awards: Full List

African artists made a strong showing at the 2026 Grammys, with Tyla winning and Fela Kuti receiving a historic Lifetime Award.

Witty Pascal

Written By |

Witty Pascal

Entertainment Editor

Published:

February 2, 2026 at 10:33:28 AM

Modified:

May 15, 2026 at 7:03:32 PM

African artists made a strong showing at the 2026 Grammys, with Tyla winning and Fela Kuti receiving a historic Lifetime Award.

According to the source article, African music maintained a visible presence at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, held on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with a small number of artists from the continent securing wins amid strong global competition.


The ceremony, hosted by Trevor Noah for the final time, recognised music released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025, and featured nominees from across multiple regions and genres.


In the Africa-focused category, South African singer Tyla won Best African Music Performance for her song “Push 2 Start.” The win marked her second victory in the category and further strengthened her international profile, as well as the global visibility of Amapiano and South African pop music.


Tyla emerged ahead of fellow nominees Burna Boy, Davido featuring Omah Lay, Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid, and Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin.


Outside the competitive categories, Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti was honoured posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive the distinction from the Recording Academy. The award was presented during the Special Merit Awards ceremony on January 31, 2026, and was accepted by his children, including musician Femi Kuti, who described the recognition as a reflection of their father’s lasting global influence.


While no other African artists secured wins in the main Grammy categories, several were nominated. Burna Boy, Angélique Kidjo and Youssou N’Dour all received nominations in global music categories but did not emerge as winners.


In the diaspora category, Nigerian-American singer Shaboozey won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen” with Jelly Roll, highlighting the continued impact of African heritage across diverse music genres.


Overall, the 2026 Grammy Awards underscored Africa’s expanding footprint on the global music stage, reflected through nominations, historic recognition and sustained international attention on Afrobeats, Amapiano and related sounds. Full list of African winners at…


Source: Nigerian Tribune



Tags

Entertainment

Nigeria

Keep Reading

Eniola Ajao Reflects on Her Rise and Social Media's Impact

Nollywood Updates

Eniola Ajao Reflects on Her Rise and Social Media's Impact

The actress shares her career story and warns against harmful online behaviour.

Ruger Says He Doesn't Mind Dating Unemployed Women

Entertainment

Ruger Says He Doesn't Mind Dating Unemployed Women

Ruger says a woman's income doesn't matter to him, seeks a funny partner and wants to marry soon

Peller Biography: Real Name, Age and Jarvis Wedding

Entertainment Buzz

Peller Biography: Real Name, Age and Jarvis Wedding

The TikTok streamer and Jarvis prepare for their August 1 white wedding

Tyla Biography: Real Name, Age and A*POP Album

Entertainment

Tyla Biography: Real Name, Age and A*POP Album

How the South African singer moved from Getting Late and Water to her second album

bottom of page